ST. PAUL, Minn. – Meg Weathersby (Maitland,
Fla./Orangewood Christian School) recorded a match-high 15 kills
and added 12 digs and five blocks to lead Flagler College to a 3-0
(25-15, 25-16, 25-15) win over Dowling College of Oakdale, N.Y., in
the first quarterfinal of the NCAA Division II Women’s
Volleyball Championships Thursday afternoon at the Gangelhoff
Center.
Flagler advances to the national semifinals against the winner of
the California (Pa.)-West Texas A&M match. The semifinal match
is scheduled for 5 p.m. Central.
Flagler improved its record to 36-8 and won its 29th match in a
row, which ties a Peach Belt Conference record. The Saints are also
the first volleyball team ever from the Peach Belt to win a set in
the national quarterfinals and Flagler is the first team from the
league to reach the national semifinals. Dowling ends its season at
29-7.
Weathersby hit an astonishing .600 for the match as she had 25
errorless swings. AVCA Honorable Mention All-America Katie Beale
(Stuart, Fla./Martin County HS) also recorded a double-double, her
team-leading 22nd of the season, with 13 kills and 11 digs. She hit
.333 for the match with just three errors on 30 swings. Justine
Burkhardt (St. Augustine, Fla./Winthrop U.) added eight kills and
seven digs for the Saints. Casey Gnann (Boca Raton, Fla./Spanish
River HS) collected nine digs while Olivia Snipes (Easley,
S.C./Easley HS) tallied 21 assists while Rebecca Royal (Green Cove
Springs, Fla./Fleming Island HS) chipped in with 15 assists and
four blocks.
Flagler hit .333 (44 kills and eight errors on 108 swings) for the
match.
Patrycia Klekota led the Golden Lions with eight kills. AVCA
third-team All-America Maja Potpara recorded seven kills, 17
assists and 13 digs. Erin Przybylowicz tallied 15 assists and seven
digs coming off the bench.
Flagler raced out to a quick 5-1 lead and held on midway through
as Dowling rallied to cut the deficit to 14-12. The Saints scored
the next three points on kills by Burkhardt and Weathersby and
closed it with an attack error on the Golden Lions. Flagler hit
.310 (11-2-29) for the set.
In the second set, Flagler broke open a 9-all tie by going on a
5-0 run. Dowling was responsible for three of the points with
errors and Weathersby accounted for the other two on kills.
In the final set, Flagler held a 9-7 lead before going on a 7-2
run to put the match away. Beale and Weathersby both recorded two
kills in the run. The Saints hit .450 with 20 kills and only two
errors on 40 swings.
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